Mahi, Sea Bass, Tautog and Flounder

By Scott Lenox

Posted on August 17th, 2025

Hurricane Erin is making her way toward the East Coast, and though she’s not expected to make landfall, she is expected to push a huge swell toward us and have things closed in the ocean for a day or two. We lost some boats that were planning on fishing this week’s MidAtlantic Tournament because of it, but we’re still looking to have a great event. I’m heading out tomorrow to try and get in on some of the good bottom fishing that’s been going on before Erin decides to drive by Thursday.

Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters has been having some great fishing in the nearshore ocean with sea bass, flounder and good Spanish mackerel fishing over the past several trips.

Captain Will on Local Hooker Charters had a nice day with the sea bass and also had some keeper tautog with one fish weighing 8 pounds.

Gary and Ann Bratten had some fun in the ocean catching croaker, sea bass and some throwback flounder.

Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing has been on the meat lately putting his shooters on some nice southern and cow nosed rays, some far and snakeheads and even a limit of flounder.

Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star enjoyed flat calm conditions for most of today and had some nice sea bass and a decent mahi aboard.

A fine sunrise and nearly calms seas awaited us at the inlet this morning. My fiancé, Shelly, and two of her besties, plus a great crew of regulars joined me for this pre-Erin mahi trip. In a rare event, lady anglers outnumbered the guys this day.

Kayla, Nixon, Kathy, Darlene & Lisa sent today’s twenty block reef unit over the transom. Kathy and Darlene soon sent a reef pyramid over to join other boat deployed reef material at Pete Maugans’ Memorial Reef ..and the mahi quest was begun.

Dern sure wasn’t much to the mahi part of it – proof of concept at least, and very last moments of the day as well. Big Jon didn’t mind that only one of many mahi sighted late took a bait – he won the pool with it..

Sure had some nice sea bass today though. Seemed like the girls laid into em while the guys mostly watched. Boys did nick a few I reckon, but if it hadn’t been for Big Jon’s last minute mahi, Kayla would have crushed the pool.

Sea bass may not jump and rip line from a reel; but they’re hard to beat as table fare. Gonna be some fine meals this night, that’s for sure. Planning on enjoying some my dern self; it’ll be a while before I fish again. Ol’man Murphy (king of jelly side down shenanigans) thought 11 days at the dock in August wasn’t enough. Will add a few more as this giant hurricane ambles; distantly, thank goodness, up the coast. Were a class 5 storm of that size to make a left like Sandy did? I believe much of the Mid-Atlantic would be rearranged..

Cheers All,

Monty